The 2-day conference included addresses & panel discussions by distinguished leaders
Shoolini University hosted a two-day conference (Sept 20-21) to launch its Centre for Leadership Coaching, featuring insightful discussions from distinguished leaders across various sectors. President of Innovation and Marketing at Shoolini, Prof Ashish Khosla, welcomed the delegates.
Former Army Chief Gen VP Malik (retd) delivered the keynote address, stating that leadership must be learnt as a science and applied as an art. Addressing the audience, he stressed the need for leaders to learn and lead the change continuously.
Gen Malik, who led the country to victory in the Kargil conflict, described leadership as the art of accomplishing more than management theories. He highlighted that while leadership is 30 per cent knowledge and skill, it is mainly driven by attitude. The exemplary leader further advised that good leaders must find balance in life, enjoying their work while making time for family, friends, and health.
International Coaching Federation (ICF) CEO and Guest of Honour Magdalena Mook spoke about the importance and future of coaching. She said the Federation recognised the unique opportunity to integrate coaching into university education, emphasising its transformative potential for both students and educators.
Stating that it was the first Centre for Leadership Coaching in any academic institution in the country, CEO Mook said Shoolini University could serve as a model for implementing coaching practices that validate knowledge and experience while addressing mental well-being.
In her discussions on leadership and coaching, she noted that most coaching clients sought assistance with mental health issues, indicating an essential area of focus for practitioners. She advocated for rigorous training and assessment in team coaching to ensure quality and effectiveness.
Other key speakers included Suresh Kumar, former Punjab Chief Secretary and Chief Principal Secretary, who highlighted the strategic role of coaching in executive leadership. Founder-Chancellor Prof PK Khosla, Pro Chancellor Vishal Anand, and Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla were also present at the event.
The conference featured multiple panel discussions on leadership, coaching, and the intersection of academia and industry, with participants from prominent organisations like Infosys, Apollo Health, Hyundai Motor India Ltd, and NHRDN, among others.
Next, UPES University Chancellor Prof Sunil Rai chaired an impressive panel discussion on ‘Navigating Leadership: Coaching in Hierarchical Organisations’. Lt Gen KJS Dhillon (retd), VP Singh and Brig SD Mehta (retd) participated in an engaging discussion.
Another panel discussion on ‘Leader as a Coach: Shaping the Modern Workspace’, was chaired by Professor in Practice Suresh Nanwani, Durham University, UK. The panellists were Apollo Health and Style CEO Devi Prasad, Advisory Consultant and Executive Coach Rajesh Ramakrishnan, and The Fulfilment Institute President designate Preeti D’mello.
The audience enjoyed the panel discussion on ‘Bridging the Gap: Leveraging Industry-Academia Partnerships to Develop Future Leaders’. It was chaired by ICF-PCC Executive and Leadership coach Sushma Banthia. The panellists were, NHRDN Director General Dhananjay Singh, Distinguished Practitioner Fellow Sachin Gulati, Senior Practice Leader, HR, Infosys Shaan Vats, and Shoolini University Co-Founder and Pro Chancellor Vishal Anand.
The second day of the summit was full of impactful insights and inspiring discussions. Chairing a panel discussion on ‘Leadership Excellence: Tailored Coaching for CEOs, Board Members, and Managers at All Levels’, Prof Atul Khosla said India needs to substantially increase infrastructure to prepare leaders of the future. He pointed out that 25 per cent of the world’s workforce would be in India in the next year as the country has the largest young population in the world. He said initiatives like coaching would help India meet the challenges ahead.
The panellists included Anuj Batta, Managing Director of Quanolytics and TheHRAnalytics.com, Colonel Shailesh Pathak, Army Veteran and Board Member at Shoolini University and Natwal Kadel, HR Strategy, Human Resources, and People Strategy at Hyundai Motor India Ltd, and Professor of Practice.
In another scintillating panel discussion, NHRDN President and Group HR Head at JK Organisation Prem Singh spoke about ‘Emerging Trends in Coaching in India'. He began by commending Shoolini University for organising the event and setting benchmarks in various areas, including coaching. He described coaching as a practice that facilitates self-discovery. Prem Singh proposed that the coaching conclave should become an annual event at Shoolini University.
The Fulfillment Institute President Designate and former Global Head of Cultural Leadership and Coaching at TCS, Preeti D’Mello, delivered a powerful statement: “Our ability to experience fulfilment can be cultivated.” She emphasised the importance of learning from the mistakes of others, noting, “For gold to glisten, it needs to be put through fire”, which she described as a beautiful metaphor for coaching. D’Mello asserted that fostering a coaching culture is imperative, expressing her belief: “When we act on culture, we can change the future”.
Chairing a panel discussion, Shoolini University President and Dean, Faculty of Management Sciences, Munish Sahrawat, posed the billion-dollar question: “Is everybody coachable?” The panellists included Genpact Vice President and Global Ops Leader Bhaskar Roy, Promenable Founder and CEO Himanshu Jain, CP HR Advisory Founder Chandrajit Pati, CNBC Network 18 Journalist Mridu Bhandari and Shoolini University SCDOE Director of Operations Tarun Gupta.
GLOW Co-Founder and Managing Partner and Powerfulife Founder CEO Nirupama Subramanian led a thought-provoking session on using the power of archetypes for leadership coaching, focusing on coaching men versus women. She began with an engaging exercise, asking the audience to close their eyes and envision typical archetypes such as a hero, a princess, a warrior, and a leader. The exercise revealed that these archetypes often carried a male lens.
In her valedictory note, Shoolini University Centre for Leadership Coaching Deputy Director and Head Payal Khanna emphasised that the project was entirely pro bono, stating, “The foundation laid here at the Center for Leadership Coaching will serve generations to come.”